Happy Birthday, Loopy! She's really got the hang of this teenager thing: the cell phone, the Facebook, the chatting, the cheerleading. She's a good kid and she's fun to hang out with so I am enjoying these times with her. We didn't plan an all-out birthday party this year, but the Cheerios are meeting at Build-A-Bear Workshop on the weekend to stuff a mascot, so that will be like a little party. I'm putting together some Valentine treat bags.

I always find Loopy some sort of conversation heart goodies for her birthday... this year it was pyjama bottoms and some cologne.

Oh, and a reader left a comment on one of my recent posts about having problems with my new buttercream recipe. I assured her that it would be fine, as I was myself going to be using it over the weekend. It seemed her buttercream was turning runny and goopy and no amount of mixing could fluff it up.

So, off I went to the kitchen, eggs at the ready and whisk in hand. Things were going along nicely... until I had the same problem. Undaunted, I tried again... same thing. I started to worry about perhaps the moon going out of alignment or some such thing and gave it a third try - same gloopy, gloppy mess!

Veto stepped up to the plate, ran out for more butter. Then he ran out for more eggs. Then, sensing my frustration, he realized that I'd swapped out the measurements of water to sugar for my simple syrup! I checked the blog, and my recipe was correct there, but I'd switched it in my mind... so I'm wondering if that happened to Jenni, too. It was a simple mistake, I just wasn't reading carefully and Veto reminded me that I was tired, we'd just returned from our trip, and thought perhaps I should just stick to the tried-and-true recipe I usually use. 

No way. Once I realized that I had to use the thick simple syrup, I was on a roll... and at close to midnight... wrapped up the conversation heart cupcakes in time for the weekend event. I'll share that business with you tomorrow.

We interrupt this blog for a public service announcement!

Action For Nature is a non-profit organization looking to recognize youth ages 8 - 16 for their creative environmental projects or activism. Previous "Eco-Heroes" have created websites, organized events, and even built garden habitats for butterflies! 

It's amazing what kids today are passionate in. Some of the Cheerios take part in the environmental programs at school, and Loopy herself makes those fabulous albums out of repurposed bags and envelopes. If you know a student who might qualify or be interested in applying for a scholarship from Action for Nature, let them know that the deadline for applications is looming... February 28th. You can find out more information about the awards here. Check out some of the amazing things previous winners have accomplished... you'll feel compelled to put down your coffee and go sort your garbage. That's where I'm headed... see you tomorrow.